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Race record: Making his third career start, Thunderball B broke his maiden while setting the fastest-qualifying time by the narrowest of margins on the first day of trials. Thunderball B in the 14th and final trial raced the 440 yards in :21.336 while Im A Fancy PYC clocked :21.337 in the 11th trial. Thunderball B made his first start in the May 23 trials to the Ruidoso Futurity (G1), when he finished second by 2 3/ 4 lengths to Famous Corona Lady, who qualified for the Ruidoso final. His second start was in the July 4 trials to the Rainbow Futurity (G1), where Thunderball B finished half a length off the pace in fourth.

“He has always shown talent,” said trainer Mike Joiner. “In his first race, he drew the outside and got lost out there. In his second race, he was down on the rail. Today, he put it all together.”

Pedigree: Thunderball B is one of 168 winners sired by FDD Dynasty, a Grade 1 winner who earned $1,173,001 on the track and in 2006-07 was the champion 2-year-old colt and champion 3-year-old colt. Trained by Mike Joiner, FDD Dynasty won the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity and Go Man Go Handicap, and scored in the Governor’s Cup Derby (RG2). He also was second in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity (G1), and third in the Grade 1 Golden State Million Futurity and Champion Of Champions. By world champion and all-time leading sire First Down Dash, FDD Dynasty is out of the Grade 1-winning Tolltac mare Dinastia Toll BRZ. FDD Dynasty has sired champion Kates Dynasty ($507,754), 24 other stakes winners and the earners of more than $6.8 million.

Thunderball B is one of four winners from six starters out of the winning Heza Fast Man mare Hollywood A List ($8,838). A half-sister to Ruidoso Futurity (G1) winner Okey Dokey Fantasy ($576,521, by Okey Dokey Dale), Hollywood A List has produced the earners of more than $238,000, including stakes winners Hollywood Trickster ($92,096, by Favorite Trick (TB)) and Fast N Furious B ($71,972, by First N Kool), and the stakes-placed Hollywood Caliente ($53,495, by Corona Caliente).

Breeder: Thunderball B is one of 56 winners and the earners of more than $2.6 million bred since 2009 by Bielau Oaks, a breeding farm at Weimar, Texas. With Monica Williams as president, the family-owned Bielau Oaks has been represented as breeder by 107 starters from 186 named foals, including Texas Classic Futurity (G1) winner Sure Shot B ($573,548), Golden State Derby (G1) winner Far Niente ($330,725), Grade 2 winners Mr Taka B ($179,745) and Top Gun B ($133,093), and seven other stakes winners. Bielau Oaks set a sale record at this year’s Texas QHA yearling sale when it sold Yellow Rose B, a First Down Dash filly out of the winning Mr Jess Perry mare Mon Ti Fleur, for $250,000.

“Mike (Joiner) said that I needed to go over and look at this horse,” Smith said. “He really looked like a horse who wanted to run on down the track (at a longer distance). After I bought him, then all the partners wanted in on him.”

Trainer: A top-10 all-time leading trainer, Michael W. “Mike” Joiner has conditioned the earners of more than $18.1 million, including Thunderball B’s sire, champion FDD Dynasty, and FDD Dynasty’s champion daughter Kates Dynasty. Joiner went into the trials having sent out the winners of 611 races from 3,640 starters. On the first day of trials, Joiner also sent out G.R. Carter to win the 10th trial aboard qualifier Tempting Destiny. With qualifiers Thunderball B and Tempting Destiny in this year’s All American Futurity, Joiner works hand in hand with his son Cody, who also is one of the sport’s leading trainers and has conditioned the earners of more than $2.17 million.

Jockey: G.R. Carter Jr. is the all-time-everything rider in American Quarter Horse racing. The 10-time AQHA champion jockey is the all-time leader by money, having ridden the earners of more than $65.8 million, and by wins, having gone into the trials with scores aboard 3,663 winners from 23,141 starts. Carter has won the All American Futurity (G1) twice, on Falling In Loveagain in 1998 and on world champion Stolis Winner in 2008.
On the first day of trials, Carter won seven of the 14 heats and was aboard four of the five finalists qualified on Thursday afternoon.

“The stars have to be aligned for that to happen,” said Carter , who on Thursday rode qualifiers Thunderball B, Im A Fancy PYC, JM Miracle and Tempting Destiny. “It’s great.”